Alyssa: A tale of Magyk
by Light Apparition
Summary: Ali has been Marcia Overstrand's apprentice almost as she could remeber, and something else too Jenna's sister. Now she must use everything she has learned to keep Jenna and herself safe from the costodians. ABANDONED but you can read the current chapters
1. Chapter 1

FYI: This story starts in the 4th chapter of the book "Magyk" and continues on throughout the story. Some Material I put in will be directly from the book. _**Magyk is not owned by me**_, the author of "Magyk" is Angie Sage. I have not read any of the sequals so if there is some later information I might controdict please forgive me. Also, I am sorry to say I have abandoned this fic but you are free to read all I written of it. I kind of started this story on a whim before I'd read the second and third novels and now I'm onto new books/animes and don't have the time or passion for fanfiction anymore, because of this I'm mostly waiting to post my other stories until they're done or close to being done. (I'm really sorry those of you who reviewed! I love you people!) If you don't want to read a story that will probably never be finished turn back now, if you're curious and think 'Heck, why not, might as well' go on ahead! Hope you enjoy what I've written of it, after all that's why I left it up.

**Chapter One **

Ali knocked on Marcia Overstrand's door nervously; she didn't like bothering the ExtraOrdinary wizard so early in the morning. It usually meant extra Magyk homework for a week. But today was different, not only because it was her little sister's birthday but because she had seen Alther spiraling into the building last night, not just into the building, into Marcia's room and if she was correct Marcia liked being woken from her beauty sleep about as much as Ali liked turnips; her least favorite vegetable.

Something was going on, she could feel it, and when Ali had a gut instinct about something, she never ignored it.

Marcia opened the door with a scowl on her face and fire in her eyes.

_Great_, thought Ali, _not only have I come early, which she hates, I've come when she's in a fowl mood_.

Marcia only glared at her, "What have you come so early for? It's Saturday, no lessons. In fact, I was meaning to tell you I'll be gone all this week and possibly longer. I'm going to… well I have something very important to do."

Marcia was about to slam the door in her face when Alyssa spoke up, "It's about Jenna isn't it? If it is, Marcia, I'm going with you and you can't stop me." Marcia let out a sigh and Ali knew she would give in, early on she had discovered that she had a way with Marcia that other people didn't.

"Alyssa," Marcia was the only one who ever called Ali by her full name, "I'm afraid I can't let you. You'll be safer here and I told Alther to keep an eye on you for me so you won't be lonely. He might even give you Magyk lessons, as I can't."

"So it is about Jenna, I thought as much. And as much as I adore Alther I believe I'd rather go meet my sister. I haven't seen her since I was four and no amount of **Enchantments** you put on me can keep me from seeing her one way or another." Ali said catching Marcia as she started to murmur a spell that would prevent her from getting out of the tower.

"You're getting to smart for your own good, my dear," Marcia replied. "Now get some warmer clothes on and eat breakfast, if you're not in the lobby by 8:00 sharp I will leave without you."

With that Marcia closed the door and walked back to the kitchen, Ali could her stove frantically trying to light itself as she walked into the room, and by the sound of frustration she made the princess (Ali) assumed that it had failed miserably.

She smiled as she hopped down the steps two at a time to reach her room. The door leading into it was like any other in the wizard's tower, but it was much different on the inside. The first thing anyone would notice was the bookcase on one wall, huge and overflowing with Magyk texts as well as the many fiction novels Ali liked to read. The next thing someone would notice was the enormously high ceilings and the stairs and ladders on all sides of the room, in fact all of Ali's rooms were on a different level. Sometimes a bridge would connect one level to another, the next time there would be a spiral staircase, and in others there were ladders. There were five rooms in all; the first was the entrance hall, which was also the library and lounge. The next level was the kitchen, the next was the greenhouse (Ali loved plants almost as much as she loved books), the fourth was her bedroom and bathroom, and the final room was the room where Ali practiced Magyk. She kept all her most important possessions in there, including the small, sparkling, silver and amethyst tiara that she had worn everyday when she was small. It was enchanted so that it grew with her head, so it always fit perfectly. She also kept her Magyk notes there, especially the ones on the lost art of **Flyte**. Ever since Marcia had told her wizards used to be able to fly through the air like ghosts she had been trying to solve the puzzle, but had not yet succeeded.

Ali hopped up the stairs, ran across the bridge, and sprung up her ladder, into her room. She dressed in her favorite violet dress and put a black cloak over it, then thinking of how dangerous Marcia seemed to think this would be she put on some black hunting boots. All her clothes were **Enchanted**. The dress would never wrinkle, tear, or stain, the cloak would blend into her surroundings if she ever needed to hide, and the boots were so that her feet would never ache while in them thus they were perfect running shoes. Finally, she grabbed her tan rucksack and put a few healing salves in, then thinking of how long she's be gone she took her **Flyte** notes, three of her favorite books and her tiara. If the custodians were onto her she didn't want them getting their hands on that.

She ate a quick, but sustaining breakfast and galloped down the stairs, rather then ride down as most of the wizards did. She waited in the main entrance hall for a while, thinking about what had happened last night as she watched the **Magykal** images and letterings float idoly by her on the walls and ground.

_Ali sat, staring out her window, eyes following the present she had sent to Jenna. Before, it had looked like any normal gift but since Ali needed a way to get it to her without rousing suspicion it had adopted a new form. She had made up a spell, not a particularly difficult one either. She wondered why no one had ever thought of it before._

_It was an incantation that turned the said object into dust -well not dust really; it was almost like glitter, but with a different quality of shimmer- and transported it to a certain location which was specified by the wizard. _

_She had been doing this for years, ever since her 8__th__ birthday (and Jenna's fourth) when she made up the spell. The gift would arrive on Jenna's lap in the morning. If it was opened at all, Ali didn't know. It could very well be that Jenna's 'parents' confiscated the present out of suspicion that it might be something to harm the young princess. That didn't matter though, as long as Ali got the satisfaction of being a part of her sister's life, small or not._

_Suddenly, Althar came flying in at top speed toward Marcia's room. He had his arms spread wide and there was a light about him that always came into his eyes when he was flying, but it was diminished by a look of concern and hastiness. He immediately started to spin into the tower and Ali watched in amazement; no one _ever_ woke Marcia up, not if they didn't want to be decapitated. _

Something's wrong, _she immediately thought. _

_That night when she went to bed, she had a million thoughts whirling around her head: thoughts about the custodians, thoughts about Marcia and Althar, thoughts about her mother, and most of all thoughts about Jenna. _

My sister,_ she mused. _Maybe I'll see her soon, although, I don't honestly know if I want to or not.

_Danger was thick in the air when Ali finally drifted off to sleep._

Alyssa heard a commanding, "Down," and waited as Marcia impatiently rode the staircase, turning like a giant corkscrew. She walked deliberately toward Ali and said, "I hope you have everything you need. I don't know how long we'll be gone."

"I know," she replied, "and I'm prepared." Although the comment sounded innocent enough, Marcia knew what she meant. She was prepared not only physically but mentally as well. She was prepared for the worst.

"Good," she said briskly, and started off toward the solid silver doors that barred the way between the wizard tower and the rest of the world. Marcia spoke the password and both she and her violet-eyed charge walked out into the cold midwinter morning.

Just outside, there was a young guard who had been amusing himself by throwing snowballs at a stray cat. Suddenly a snowball flew through the air and hit Marcia's soft purple cloak. Ali had to suppress laughter as she wrinkled up her rather long, pointy nose and glared at the boy. Subconsciously, she prayed for his well-being.

"Don't do that!" Marcia snapped at him. This sent Ali off on another round of giggles and soon she was glaring at Ali instead of the sentry who had quickly jumped and stood at attention, obviously putting on a show for the ExtraOrdinary wizard and her apprentice. His strange attire made it hard to take him seriously though, with his pikestaff and floppy yellow hat. He looked more like a gardener with an oddly-shaped hoe than a threatening tower guard. He also looked absolutely terrified, and in all honesty why shouldn't he be? Marcia could be quite fierce when necessary. Or whenever she thought it was a good time to be so.

"How old are you?" She asked, harshly.

"T-ten, Madam," he said, again, sounding terrified.

"Then why aren't you in school?"

"I have no need of school, Madam," He said it with a hint of pride this time. "I am in the Young Army. We are the Pride of Today, Warriors of Tomorrow."

"Aren't you cold?" Ali asked, considerably worried. The small boy looked so frail and sickly; he shouldn't be out in this weather.

"N-no, young Madam. We are trained not to feel the cold." But he shivered as he spoke and his lips took on a bluish tinge.

Marcia turned with a, "Humph," and stomped off, but Ali refused to leave just yet. She hastily took out a small packet from her pocket. She picked up a handful of snow and sprinkled the contense of the package it in; the snow turned warm in her hands but still retained its texture and shape.

"Here," she said, "Eat it, like a snow cone, it'll warm you up."

The boy didn't seem to believe her but took a tentative bite and his eyes widened. He started to gulp it down as fast as he could and his rosy completion returned, his lips turning pink again as they were suppose to be. Ali smiled and, without a word jogged forward to catch up with Marcia.

"You're far to nice!" She grumbled. Ali just grinned, it felt good to be helping people, and even better to know that she'd see Jenna soon.

Alyssa walked along the snow-covered path out of the tower and toward the Ramblings, where most of the population of the kingdom lived. She stayed silent as Marcia slipped off into her own world, probably remembering herself as a child, as she did on an occasion.

Marcia had told her once that as a hopeful she never gave up until she got what she wanted, namely an apprenticeship with an ExtraOrdinary wizard, which she was herself now in place of her mentor, Althar Mella. She had always told Ali what a wonderful teacher he had been, and Ali believed her whole-heartedly. Who couldn't like the old man? He was kind and funny and even as a ghost seemed very much alive, despite his transparency. Marcia had also told her once that she wished she could be the teacher that he was. Ali had replied that she was just as good a teacher as anyone, including Althar Mella, and Marcia of course said that she was much to nice and had continued the lesson.

Ali noticed that they were heading the fast way to the 'East side' as the custodians called it. This worried her some; Marcia almost always took the long way to avoid traffic. Or she had before they stopped going. The last time she had been here was when she was five; just a year after her mother's death.

They finally got to the top of the steps and up to a door, Marcia took a deep breath and was just about to shove it open when it opened itself and she ran into the rather slimy wall opposite. Alyssa burst out laughing, then caught her mistake and tried to suppress her giggles. She didn't do so well.

Just then the door slammed shut in front of her and she frowned. She took a step forward and it sprung open again. On the other side Marcia stood there tapping her foot, impatiently. "Took you long enough; we don't have much time, let's go!"

Ali could tell something was wrong almost as soon as she started down the hallway with Marcia, who had furrowed her brow in a manner of worry and disgust. She had used that face once when she looked in girl's refrigerator the day before she cleaned it. She had been looking for one of the salves Ali was supposed to make for homework. In fact this hallway smelled something close to what her refrigerator had smelled like. The walls were slimy with mold and it seemed as if it hadn't been cleaned in months, perhaps years.

_But Marcia was always telling what a nice place the Ramblings was! _She looked at her teacher who was in a state of shock at the poor condition of the building. Ali tried to conjure up a picture of her own version of the ramblings but couldn't come up with much. It'd been such a long time ago and Ali had more or less tried to forget that part of her life in the first place.

_I hope that Jen's room is cleaner then this,_ she thought. _After all she is royalty._

After thinking this though, Alyssa wanted to take it back. She absolutely _hated_ it when Marcia or Althar called her 'princess' or 'young queen'. They only used it when they were teasing, but still, it got on her nerves. Ali had never really wanted to be a princess even before her mother died. She hated all the restrictions and obligations, she had always wanted to be a wizard. She got her chance when Marcia took her in, but it came at a high price: the death of someone she loved and the separation of another. Given the choice, she would have chosen her mother over Magyk but she hadn't had the choice. The decision had already been made.

Ali noticed the worried expression on her teacher's face and began to get a bit concerned herself. She also wondered how Marcia would handle so many children, she'd heard Jen's family was full to the brim with them. One of the older Ordinary wizards had taken care of her for the majority of her childhood up until the point where she could learn Magyk seriously.

Even so, she had always been mature for her age, though she didn't look it; she had a very small frame. Her raven-black hair came down to her mid-back, making her look shorter then she was. She had soft features and rather unnaturally long-lashes and she was thin and flat as a bean-stalk, though there was a roundness and glow to her face that assured she was well-fed and healthy. Perhaps what was most captivating about her appearance was her eyes, violet, but with green flecks.

It was said that no matter how much Magyk someone of the royal family learned their eyes stayed the same color; this was apparently true considering that her eyes never turned completely green. It was also a proven fact that once an Ordinary Wizard turned ExtraOrdinary their eyes turned from the normal forest green into a piercing green/gold and if they get good enough they might turn completely gold. So far, Ali's eyes had gotten lighter, but still had yet to take a golden tinge.

She snapped out of her daze and blushed slightly as everyone turned to stare at her –no Marcia- as they walked through rush-hour. Ali pulled the cloak tighter around her and shrunk back into her hood, it was better if no one was able to see her, they might recognize her as who she really was. Though, she doubted anyone was paying much attention to her, they were all to busy gawking at Marcia.

People gasped and some shrank away.

_Why are they all so nervous...? It's not that big a deal is it?_ Ali couldn't quite comprehend why people seemed in such great awe and fear of the ExtraOrdinary wizard, as she had grown up with her since she was quite young.

Ali's eyes darted nervously from door to door. Finally they stopped at one, painted black by the paint patrol. Jenna's door, her sister's door, a door that one she opened she could never close again. Her eyes widened and gulped, finally the day Marcia had put off for so long, had come.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: _**Magyk is not owned by me**_

**Chapter Two **

"Open," Marcia commanded the black door, sounding stern. As it was, that didn't surprise Ali much, considering that Marcia almost always sounded stern. She was slightly amused to see the door actually tighten its hinges. She had known Silas and Marcia had a bit of a rivalry but she had no idea it went so deep even his _door_ didn't like her. She was mildly shocked to see Marcia start banging on the door, almost reducing herself to kicking it before the door opened. Marcia just wasn't the kind of person you'd see banging on doors outside Wizard Tower; normally Marcia wasn't the kind of person you'd even see outside Wizard Tower period.

Silas, Ali noted (for that was who opened the door), was an average-looking man with eyes the forest green of the average Ordinary Wizard. He wore normal, if somewhat shabby looking clothes and his shoes as well were not anything peculiar, unlike a certain someone's snake skin boots. No, it was not Silas's appearance that surprised her; it was the condition of the room beyond him. Pots, pans, teacups, blankets, utensils, and just about any other household item you could think of was strewn about the floor. Were she Marcia, she would find the clutter disgusting, but since she was not Marcia she found it rather homey, nothing compared to the hallway, for other than the stuff on the floor it seemed pretty clean. Actually… she liked it especially because of the numerous books, some of which even she hadn't read yet. Quite a collection.

"Yes?" Silas asked, sounding rather irritated.

"Good morning, Silas Heap," she sounded too polite. If he knew Marcia at all he would know she wanted something. "Good morning, Sarah Heap. And, er, all the little Heaps of course."

Ali scanned over the faces of the others in the room as she said this. There was a middle-aged pleasant looking woman with the face and wrinkles of a mother who was a bit over-worked but otherwise very sweet with her straw-colored hair and freckles atop her nose. Then there were six boys, two of whom were twins and the others ranged from eleven or twelve to about eighteen. They all looked very alike, a combination of Silas and Sarah, some curly hair here a plump face there… and then there was Jenna.

Jenna with dark hair, Jenna with violet eyes, Jenna with soft features and long lashes, Jenna who looked so completely different from her brothers. It was a wonder they hadn't found her earlier.

Ali was protected from being discovered because the Custodians were not aloud inside the Wizard Tower without first gaining permission from one of the Ordinary or ExtraOrdinary Wizards that lived there. This, granted, was easier for Custodians than a normal civilian, but Ali was alerted immediately by the **Magyk** surrounding her if one was let in so she could easily **Enchant** her door with a **Charm** she had made herself so that no one could see or open it unless they physically bashed it in.

But Jenna… Jenna had no protection at all. She was as exposed to the Custodians as the rest of the kingdom, and they were always on the lookout. Hunting for the Princess.

"I said _good morning,_ Silas Heap," Marcia pushed, losing the polite tone in her voice.

"Indeed you did, Marcia, indeed you did," well no 'good morning' from him then. "And what brings you here after all these years? Who's this with you?" He noticed Ali for the first time since they had knocked on his door. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and looked at her shoes which were suddenly extremely interesting.

"I've come for the Princess," Marcia said, crisply, avoiding the second question completely.

_Beautiful, Marcia,_ Ali thought sarcastically, _nice lead up to that statement. You really left them hanging on your every word. I'm positive they know exactly who you're talking about, too. After all they have called her Jenna for all her life, doesn't that name just scream 'princess'?_

"_Who?_" Silas looked befuddled.

_I prove my point._

"You know perfectly well, _who_," Marcia snapped. As soon as she dared, Ali looked up again, taking in Jenna's expression which was just as confused as Silas's. So she had no idea then. Ali had thought as much but still, it made the situation ever more awkward. To find out you had a long lost sister was one thing, to figure out that not only did you have a long lost sister but that you were both Princesses was entirely another. It sounded like a childhood fantasy game.

"We don't have any Princesses here, Marcia. I would think that would be pretty obvious," he sounded just as annoyed as Marcia herself.

_Perhaps not all that obvious,_ Ali thought, in fact it was much more likely that the obvious thing _was _that Jenna was a princess. Just look at her, she's so… so _different_.

Ali's eyes drifted back to the pleasant-looking woman, who she supposed must be Sarah. She had stopped cooking breakfast and was staring at Marcia, transfixed. She obviously knew what was coming. Ali's eyes then flickered back over to her sister, there were two packages sitting in front of her; one most likely from her family and the other from Ali herself.

She gulped, remembering what was in the package. It was perfect, she realized, for this situation. Actually at the time she didn't know why she had sent it, she had just supposed it would be the best gift she could give. Now she knew why. She had had a **Premonition **again.This was a talent not many had, **Premonitions,** and even those that did would have to work hard and have the right materials, such as a crystal ball and all the rest, but Ali had been able to do it since birth. She was not always aware she had **Premonitions**, they just came. Some came in the form of a dream or a vision, those were the obvious ones, but most came as just a sudden urge. A tug of fate, one could call it. This was one of the many reasons Ali always followed her instincts.

She heard Marcia sigh and say in a world-weary tone that was _so_ not like Marcia, "May I sit down, please, Silas… Sarah?"

Silas, also sighing heavily said, "Nicko, give Marcia and…"

"Ali," Ali prompted.

"Yes, well, get Marcia and Ali a couple chairs."

"Thanks, Nicko," Ali plopped down in one of the chairs and Marcia sat gingerly in one next to her. Nicko smiled and nodded, acknowledging her. Ali lowered the hood on her cloak.

Sarah gasped and her face paled even more. Ali caught Jenna giving her an odd look, a curious one, and Silas sent her a cold and calculating one. It wasn't exactly a glare but it clearly read, 'you're going to take Jenna away aren't you?' This, to Ali, was worse than if he had yelled at her. She looked down at her shoes again, studying the criss-cross pattern of the laces. Marcia groaned next to her and Ali realized she must have had absolutely no idea Jenna would have grown up to look so astoundingly different from her family. Ali just shook her head slightly, the phrase 'book smart but no common sense' suddenly popped to mind.

"Well, Ali," she was surprised Silas was addressing her and not Marcia, "what's going on?"

Ali's eyes became so wide they resembled the dinner plates lying on the floor about half-way across the room, she hadn't expected to be the one to break the news to them and, truthfully, she didn't think she'd do a very good job of it, she only knew about half of what was going on herself.

"I-I…" she stuttered.

"Do you have a glass of water?" Marcia interjected. Ali silently thanked her for the temporary diversion. She'd have to explain eventually, but she was thankful to have a moment to compose herself.

Jenna popped up immediately and ran clumsily over to Marcia, holding out a wooden cup that looked like it had been gnawed on.

"Here, have my water. I don't mind," she offered. Well, at least she wasn't shy. Ali smiled lightly.

Marcia stared at the cup dubiously before she seemed to remember who had just given it to her, then said, "Thank you, Princess. Er, may I call you Jenna?"

It took all of Ali's willpower not to smack herself in the forehead and groan loudly. Again, with all this_ Princess_ stuff. Of _course_ it was alright to call her Jenna, it wasn't like she had ever been called anything else. Really, it was like going up to Marcia and saying, "Oh, thank you so kindly, your royal highness ExtraOrdinary Wizard Madam. May I please call you Marcia?"

_Well, then again,_ Ali thought, _there are some people who would actually do that…_

"Answer Madam Marcia, poppet," Sarah prodded when Jenna seemed to be too interested in Marcia's shoes to say anything. They were rather intriguing shoes after all.

"Oh, yes, yes you may Madam Marcia," Ali could clearly read Jenna's 'You psychotic woman, why on earth are you calling me Princess?' look and let her smile widen, looking up at the people around her.

"Thank you, Jenna. It's nice to meet you after all this time. And please, just call me Marcia," her eyes flicked back and forth between her and Ali. She was obviously noting the similarity.

"What should I call you?" Jenna asked. Again, Ali jumped at being spoken to directly.

"Me? Oh, just call me Ali, no fancy title or anything."

"All right, well nice to meet you, Ali," she smiled politely.

Ali smiled back, "Nice to meet you, too," 'sister.' She added in her mind, wincing.

"Out with it then," Silas said as Jenna scrambled back to Sarah's lap, "What's going on? As usual we seem to be the last to know over here."

"Silas, do you and Sarah, know…er… who Jenna is?" Marcia asked, uncertainly. Ali's heart was beating so loud and fast she was sure the whole room must be able to hear it.

_Whatever lies in the future,_ she thought, _it could never be as nerve-wracking as this. I don't care if we're being chased by hordes of angry bees. It would be nothing compared to this._

This, coming from Ali, was quite a statement, seeing as that she had always had an intense and inexplicable fear of bees. She seemed to remember there was a name for that phobia but couldn't quite recall it.

"Yes. We do. Jenna is our daughter, that's who she is," he countered stubbornly.

"But you guessed it didn't you?" She was directing the question at Sarah.

"Yes… and I suppose she must be, too," her voice was shaky and quiet.

"She is, you're right. So you must understand when I say she is not safe here anymore. I need to take her. Now," Marcia's voice was fierce and urgent.

_Wait to go, Marcia,_ the fear and tension in Ali's mind was making her irritable, I _could have done a better job than that and I hate breaking news to people. Really, you're social skills could use some work._

"No. No!" Jenna screamed. Ali felt like her heart was being ripped out. Why did they have to meet this way? Why couldn't Jenna have stayed hidden and safe? Then maybe one day, when all this Custodian nonsense was over and done with they could have been reunited in a way that was not so harsh.

Silas looked positively furious, "Just because you're the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia, you think you can walk in here and mess up our lives like it doesn't matter. You are most certainly _not_ taking Jenna away. She is ours. Our only daughter. She is perfectly safe here, and she stays with us."

Ali caught a hint of fury herself, but only let it show in the way her eyebrows knitted together and how her lips tightened. She understood completely of course that they didn't want their child taken away from them, who wouldn't? But to accuse Marcia of not caring and saying that she thought it didn't matter? Ali had to admit that Marcia wasn't exactly what you'd call a sweet woman, but she most defiantly cared; and if she hadn't thought it mattered, why was she here in the first place? No, Marcia obviously thought it mattered. How could he not see that? Oh, those stupid grudges. Damn them all.

"Silas," Marcia sighed, rubbing her temples, "she is _not_ safe with you. Not anymore. She has been _discovered_. You have a spy living right next door to you. Linda Lane."

"Linda!" Sarah gasped. "A spy? I don't believe it."

Ali's fury was replaced with a slight sadness and slight exhasperation. It was really quite depressing how many people in the world would give up friendship… love… even family to achieve power. It was also rather depressing that people seemed to deny themselves of that fact until it was too late. People were all too trusting, though Ali couldn't pretend she wasn't completely innocent of that herself.

"You mean that awful old gasbag who's always around here prattling on about potions and drawing endless pictures of the kids?" asked Silas.

Drawing pictures? They let her _draw pictures?_ Really, how stupid! It made everything so obvious! Ali shook her head. _What_ exactly had they been thinking?

"Silas, don't be so rude," Sarah scolded.

"I'll be more than rude to her if she's a _spy,_" declared Silas.

"There's no '_if_' about it, Silas," Marcia said, "Linda Lane is most definitely a spy. And I'm sure the pictures she's been drawing have proven very useful for the Supreme Custodian."

Silas groaned, and Marcia pressed her advantage. "Look, Silas, I only want the best for Jenna. You have to rust me."

Somehow Ali doubted Silas was the type of person who would trust Marcia. He snorted, and proved Ali's point, "Why on earth should we trust you, Marcia?"

"Well if you don't trust her at least trust me," Ali interjected. "I'm living proof that we only want the best for her… I mean, I'm-"

"You only knew Jenna for a day, sister or not there's no proof you're saying that just to please Marcia. After all, you've known her much longer than Jenna."

Ali was struck with the urge to _slap _this man. How **_dare_** he! Jenna was her sister, one day or not that hardly changed that she was her flesh and blood. She glared fiercly and was reminded somewhere in the back of her mind of the phrase 'if looks could kill'. She almost wished they could.

"Silas," Marcia glared at him, "she's not lying. After all, where do you think the Princess, I mean Jenna, gets those birthday presents? Did you think they just appeared out of no where?"

Ali heard Jenna's voice come from Sarah's lap, "Madam Marcia called me that before," she whispered. "Is that really me? And her, is she really my sister? Why doesn't she live here, then?"

"Yes, poppet," Sarah whispered back, "and she doesn't live here because… well, you'll find out." She raised her voice, "I think we all need to know what happened ten years ago, Madam Marcia."

"Ten years ago…" Marcia told the story of her past and Jenna's: their horrible, horrible past full of so much death and pain. Ali didn't want to listen to the story again, she already knew what happened, she had been there and the memory of it was stuck in her head like super glue.

She tried to concentrate on other things, things that were much more pleasant- like that spell she found that turned a turnip and a couple of broomsticks into a scarecrow. Now _that_ was a good use of a turnip- but it was useless, she heard every syllable of Marcia's story. By the end of it she was trying not to cry.

"J-Jenna," Ali's voice was shaky, "you can open your birthday gift now."

The raven-haired girl reached for the small silver box Ali had placed the gift in. She opened it and there, lying on a piece of red velvet fabric, was a small, gold circlet.

"Put it on," Ali gave her a watery smile, "it was Mother's, but it's yours now, if you'll take it."

She placed the crown on her head, it fit like a glove. Ali knew it would, like hers it knew the shape and size of the Princess's head and grew or shrunk so it would never become too loose or too tight.

"Well, you've done it now, Marcia," Silas looked cross. "The cat's really out of the bag."

Ali wondered why he was blaming just Marcia for this. After all it was just as much her fault that Jenna had discovered her heritage. But, she supposed, sometimes rivalries just ran too deep for them to blame anyone else. She supposed if Marcia hadn't said a word throughout this whole thing and Ali had been doing all the talking he still would have blamed her. However, this explination didn't stop her resent toward the man. She almost wished he'd yell at her so she could get into a screaming match and let out some of this blood-boiling fury. She had _not _gotten over that little speech about pleasing Marcia earlier.

Suddenly Alther floated into the room and the tears still lingering in Ali's eyes disappeared, the rage in her heart dwindling some. Alther, thank God.

"Ah, here's Alther," said Silas. "He won't be pleased about this, I'll tell you."

_Well, no, he won't be pleased,_ Ali thought. I'm _not pleased with it. That doesn't mean he thinks Marcia shouldn't do it._

"Hello, Silas, Sarah. Hello all my young Wizards," The Heap boys smiled from ear to ear: Alther had that general effect on people, "and hello my little Princesses."

Ali rolled her eyes, "Al_ther_," she groaned, "_stop it!_"

A ghostly hand ruffled her hair and teased, "Ah, yes how could I forget! You're an Apprentice now not a Princess, excuse me Ali." She rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless.

"I didn't know that Alther came to see you too," Marcia sounded put-out, even downright jealous.

"Well, I was his Apprentice first," Silas snapped, "before you elbowed in."

Ali blocked out the rest of Marcia's argument. This rivalry was going to take some getting used to. In the mean time she tried not to look like she noticed the side-ways glances Jenna was giving her, it almost would have been better if she stared, rather than take peeks at her when she thought her new sister wasn't looking.

"Children, children, don't argue now." Alther scolded, smiling, "I love you both the same. All my Apprentices are special, and my Apprentices' Apprentices are special, too." He looked at Ali, his eyes twinkling, but his expression quickly changed as he looked around the Heap's household. He knew things were about to change. They all did.

"Tell them, Alther," Silas commanded. "Tell them they're not having our Jenna. Princess or not, they're not having her."

The constant haggling over who would get to stay with Jenna was starting to try on Ali's nerves, after all she wasn't currency! Under-aged or not, she deserved to at least be able to speak her mind.

"I wish I could, Silas, but I can't," Alther looked serious. In Ali's humble opinion it was a look that did not suit him at all. "You have been discovered. An Assassin is coming; she will be here at midnight with a silver bullet. You know what that means…"

Ali didn't want to think about that, apparently neither did Sarah, "No," she whispered.

"Yes," said Alther, his fingers drifting to the bullet hole right beneath his heart.

Jenna, confused though she was, got the general drift and looked at her mother, horror playing across her features.

"What can we do?" asked Sarah, her voice still very soft.

"Marcia and Ali will take Jenna to Wizard Tower," Alther explained. "She will be safe there for the moment, and goodness knows she and her sister have some catching up to do."

_What an understatement,_ Ali thought.

"Then we will have to think about what to do next. You and Silas must go with the boys; somewhere safe where you won't be found."

"We'll go into the forest and stay with Galen," Sarah was still pale, but she seemed to have found a bit of determination and her voice was no longer shaky. Ali had a feeling she'd tough this out, even if she was crippled with worry half the time.

"I need to take the Princess now," Marcia said.

Ali was exasperated. Jenna, _Marcia,_ Jenna;_ she has a name, you know!_

"We must get back before they change the sentry," she continued.

"I don't want to go…" Ali was afraid Jenna would say that, "I don't have to do I Uncle Alther? I want to go and stay with Galen, too. I want to go with everyone else; I don't want to be on my own."

"You won't be alone you'll be with Marcia," Alther comforted. This didn't seem to make her feel any better, Ali couldn't blame her. As much as she adored Marcia, put into Jenna's shoes it wouldn't comfort her much either. "You'll also be with your sister, Ali. She's very nice, you'll like her. I promise." He winked.

She looked a bit tempted now, after all what little girl wouldn't be tempted by a long lost sister princess, but stood firmly by her decision not to go.

"Jenna, you are second in line to rule to Castle, and the Castle needs to keep you safe so in case something happens to Ali they have someone to be Queen. You must go with Marcia and your sister. _Please._"

Jenna fingered her golden circlet and Ali found her own hand drifting toward her tiara. The Amethyst felt cool and smooth to the touch, but what she loved most about it was the **Magykal** spark it gave her. Amethyst has been a favorite stone of Wizards for centuries because of its **Magykal** properties that feed off a Wizard's own **Magyk**. If you are indeed** Magykal** then it will give you a slight zap, but if you aren't it feels just like any other stone.

Ali was snapped out of her momentary trance when Jenna whispered, "All right, I'll go."


	3. Chapter 3

FYI: Okay, I already stated this once but I will again. I HAVE DISCONTINUED THIS STORY, THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER. I'm sorry if you liked it, I actually like it too. I just don't have the time or passion to write any more of it.

Disclaimer: _**Magyk is not owned by me**_

**Chapter Three **

Ali gave a look full of regret to the Heap household as the door closed. Everyone looked so stricken by the news; the boys were shocked and Jenna's adoptive parents were absolutely devastated. She supposed after already losing one child losing another would be quite horrific. She was glad Jenna couldn't see their faces since she was hidden underneath Ali's very long cloak.

Marcia nodded to her and she pulled the hood back over her head, willing the cloak to make her blend in. It was an **Enchantment** she had developed herself. She had a talent for that, making up **Enchantments**, and the occasional **Charm**. Sometimes on the spur of the moment, she wrote them all down in her apprentice journal for future reference. This particular **Enchantment **had a relatively simple incantation since it was only used to activate it and most of the **Magyk** was stored in the cloak itself:

"**Blend ****and Bend ****the light. ****So I ****and my ****kin might ****go Unseen ****to even those ****with senses keen.**"

Her voice rang with **Magyk **and the cloak around them melded into the wall. No one could see them now, even though **Unseen** was normally a personal spell. Actually, Ali had no idea if she could make other people **Disappear** under her cloak, this was her first time attempting it- she had made up the 'and my kin' part off the top of her head. Luckily; it had worked. Sometimes she made up spells and didn't have quite the amount of **Magyk** required the first time she attempted it.

She had a **Magykal** spark of course, Marcia wouldn't settle for anything less, but it wasn't large. Larger than average but smaller than Marcia's or Ather's when he was alive. Her specialty was improvisation. But she worked as hard as she could, and her **Magykal** stamina was increasing, as well as her ability to pull off larger and more complicated spells but she definately had to work at it. Sometimes she felt as though she dissapointed Marcia, that she wasn't good enough, but she tried hard and maybe someday she'd live up to her expectations.

Ali noticed that they were taking the longer route to Wizard Tower, the one that skirted the castle walls. She didn't know why, but she always got a strange feeling when they passed over a certain part of the wall, like there was something going on right under their noses that they didn't know about. She had always wanted to look around that certain part of the wall but had never gotten the time...

Ali's head whipped around when she heard a bang, her heart beating fast. It was just a noise from one of the factories- nasty little places. She shook her head in an attempt to chase out the dark thoughts, all this tension was making her jumpy. She needed to keep calm if this were to work out.

Finally they made it to the looming Wizard Tower. Next to her, Jenna gasped and stopped walking, slipping from under Ali's cloak. The elder sister smiled slightly and put an arm around Jenna's shoulders. She remembered the day she had first seen Wizard Tower, being already terrified and confused about her mother's death she had burst into tears and had needed to be carried into the Tower.

At least Jenna's experience was _slightly_ more enjoyable.

"Come on, we're almost there," Ali gave Jenna's shoulder an encouraging squeeze, suddenly finding a strange sense of satisfaction in being taller than her. Not by much, considering she was extremely short for her age but enough to give her a feeling of accomplishment. It was kind of weird to be happy such trivial things at a time like this, but she'd take what joy she could get.

They proceeded to slip and slide across the stone-covered pass to the large silver entrance way. Jenna nearly fell several times but Ali managed to keep some semblance of grace… if only a very miniscule amount. That was very quickly lost when Marcia stopped and the two Princesses nearly ran into her.

'Why is she stop-… the sentry! ' Ali realized. Where was he? Had he just gone back early? No, the Young Army was much too strict for that. Then Ali was aware of something, a presence of sorts, but not a very strong one. This presence was like someone who was nearly… dead.

"Oh my God," Ali realized what was going on just as Marcia did and they launched themselves on the snow heap next to them.

"Dig!" Marcia commanded, "He's here. Frozen."

Ali's hand brushed the boy's hand and she shivered; no one was meant to be that cold. He was quickly dug out of the snow pile and Ali leaned over him, her mind racing. A spell… a simple one…

"**Quicken, Youngling. Quicken.**" It didn't seem to be working.

"**Quicken, Youngling. Quicken.**" She whispered with a little more force then breathed a long breath over the sentry's face. Still not working!

"**Unfreeze!**" She commanded forcefully and suddenly the boy heaved a massive breath, the ice forming on his face melting off in sheets.

"Quick," Marcia said urgently, "He won't survive if we leave him here."

Ali had already hoisted him on her back and was walking into Wizard Tower by the time Marcia was finished with her sentence and Jenna was following anxiously. As soon as Ali entered Wizard Tower she felt a bit more comfortable, she liked the hum of **Magyk** that resonated through this place. She looked down at her feet to see the greeting the floor spelled out for them.

Around Jenna's feet were the words, 'Welcome Princess, Welcome.' And Around Ali's were the words, 'Welcome Back, Apprentice.' She was glad it didn't say, 'Welcome back, Heiress,' which it had found a liking to spelling out for her. Ali was quite positive it was just to annoy her, too. The letters shifted to read, 'Hurry up.'

If she didn't know better she would guess Marcia made them say that but the letters had a mind of their own and like anything with a mind of its own said anything it wanted to not what others instructed it to say. She shifted the sentry to a more comfortable position on her back and walked over to the steps, Jenna hanging behind.

"Come on, Jen. We need to get him to Marcia's room," Ali said, gently snapping her younger sister out of her daze.

"_Quickly_, you two, really, Alyssa your mind is lighting fast, I just wish you were, too," Marcia interjected bitterly. She was extra touchy today, Ali reminded herself. No need to push anymore buttons.

She stepped onto the staircase and decided to let Marcia travel her way because of the strange package on her back. Though it wasn't a particularly _heavy_ package; really the living conditions of the Young Army were appalling. Ali saw Jenna try to walk up the stairs much like _she_ would on a normal day when Marcia called her back down.

"No, just wait where you are," she explained. "The stairs will do the rest… Go!"

The stairs spiraled up towards Marcia's room and Ali snapped here eyes shut. She got so horribly dizzy on these stairs! She only opened her eyes again when she felt them come to a stop at the top of the tower. She stumbled off the staircase, using the wall as support and almost dropping the boy in the process. Her stomach lurched in a horrible way and for a moment Ali was sure she was going to get motion sick but she swallowed, and did her best to breathe deeply to ward off the nausea.

The large purple door sprang open to greet them as the logs in the fireplace burst into flame, the sofa arranging itself in the flickering light. A couple pillows and blanket shot over her head and made a temporary bed for the sentry boy.

She lay him down gently, Jenna hanging over her. Marcia, not one to hover, inspected his white pinched face and blue lips. He was shivering and his heart was fluttering like an injured bird.

"Shivering is a good sign," Marcia stated calmly. "**Wet clothes off**."

The idiotic sentry uniform flew off the boy and rather unceremoniously flung itself into a heap on the ground.

"**You're rubbish,**" Ali found great pleasure in stating this about the disgusting uniform, and it threw itself into the rubbish chute. She beamed gleefully.

Marcia smiled approvingly, "Good riddance! Now,** dry clothes on.**"

A pair of warm purple pajamas appeared on the sentry and he stopped shivering so violently. Ali smiled, remembering her own pair of pajamas that had been given to her on her first night in Wizard Tower, they had long since outgrown her but they were very comfortable while they had lasted.

"Good," Marcia said, "we'll just sit with him for a while and let him warm up. He'll be fine."

"I doubt he'll ever want to be outside in the snow again, though," Ali said, still a bit concerned.

"Well it's just what he gets! If he had taken my advice and gone inside for a while he'd be fine and wouldn't have to worry about freezing to death."

"It's not his fault," Ali admonished, "The Young Army doesn't tolerate that kind of behavior, you know that."

Marcia just gave an indignant 'Humph!' and went to go sit down next to Jenna by the fireplace. Ali followed and **Summoned** a few glasses of warm milk, pouring the three remaining packets of hot chocolate into them.

As she handed Jenna her cup she noticed her ratty old boots and said, "Aren't your feet cold? Take those off, you must be freezing."

She untied the knots and pulled the shoes off, exposing a pair of equally ratty socks that looked as if they had been passed down several generations before reaching Jenna. Ali smiled warmly.

"Look at your socks, what a state!" Marcia exclaimed.

Ali's smile grew at Marcia's behavior. She understood how Jenna felt; Ali had been embarrassed around Marcia when she first met her in the library. Well, not the first time, but the first time since she was four. She had been mortified when she pointed out that she had spilled tomato sauce on her shirt.

"Would you like some new socks?" The ExtraOrdinary wizard asked.

Jenna nodded meekly and a pair of purple socks appeared on her feet. What other color would they be? Ali had learned early on that almost everything of Marcia's was purple. Her clothing, the decorum of her room, her shoes: her very _interesting_ shoes. A lot of Ali's things were purple, too, but that was mostly because it was the only type fabric around.

"We'll keep the old ones though," Ali said, "**Clean. Fold.**"

The socks did what Ali told them and lay themselves on the hearth to dry. Jenna smiled. It was good to see her smile, as Ali hadn't since the day she was born. Eventually Marcia got up to do something-or-other, leaving the two alone.

"So… you- you're really my sister?" Jenna asked, looking up at her.

"Yeah, doesn't seem like it, though, does it? I just barely met you after all," Ali grinned weakly, but it wasn't a particularly happy one.

"My friend, Bo, and I used to pretend we were long lost Princess sisters, but she didn't look anything like me so I didn't really believe it. And even though _you_ look like me, it's still hard to believe," she reflected.

"I know, but if any two people share a gene pool it's you and me. The only thing is _you're _tall! I'm such a shrimp; I'm barely taller than you and your four years younger than I am. I could hang around a lot of kids _your _age and I'd fit right in."

Jenna laughed and stood up, "Now I am taller than you!"

"Oh no you don't!" Ali stood up as well.

Jenna stood on her tip toes but was still a few inches short.

"Nice try, but you'll have to wait a couple more years," Ali teased.

Jenna pouted in a good-natured fashion, and then smiled impishly. "Or," she mused, "I could hit a growth spurt in the next couple months."

"Or," Ali matched her look, "_I _could hit a growth spurt."

At the same moment they realized exceptionally similar they looked and burst out laughing.

"I guess we really are sisters, huh?" Jenna asked, but she didn't really need an answer. They were almost identical and she liked Ali. Though it was strange to go from a family of all boys and her mom to one of all women it was not entirely unpleasant.

"Yeah, I guess we are," Ali answered, looking into Jenna's Amethyst eyes. The look on her face was one of contentment, something that didn't hold the gravity of the situation they were in but at the same time fit the moment perfectly.

They sat down on the hearth, letting the fire warm their hands and the other's presence warm their hearts.

* * *

B-chan: *funeral music plays* So with that happy and yet inconclusive note, Light's fanfiction has died, she will write it no more. At least now she has more time for Death Note fanfiction, not that anyone here would really care about that.

LA (Light Apparition): B, you're just making this worse. You know I feel really guilty about quitting.

B-chan: You should! ^_^

LA: I hate you. *sighs* Sorry people, I really mean that, but it's over, 'Alyssa' is no more. Man, I feel like a pile of crap. I have a lot of really good fans for this story but I'm pretty set on not continuing, so I'm leaving the chapters up so you can read them if you like but there won't be any more coming out. You can make up your own ending in your head. Heck, if anyone wants to take over the story on their account I'll be happy to let them! Just tell me and I'll put a link at the end of this chapter, I mean it. Not that I expect anyone to really be that motivated to, but hey if you feel the urge go ahead! I'll be happy to let you!

_**With many apologies and thanks!**_

_**~Light Apparition ©2008**_


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